When you think of James Bond, what springs to the front of your mind? The eye-popping stunts? The Oscar-winning theme songs? The parade of beautiful yet deadly women who fight alongside – or against – him? The cars? The gadgets? Or perhaps it’s Bond’s wardrobe?

Ah, yes. The safari jackets. The grey flannel suits. The tuxedos. Let’s face it: the powder-blue swimming trunks as Daniel Craig emerged from the water and made his mark on the role. And, of course, no suave spy’s outfit is complete without the perfect footwear to finish the look. That’s where storied Northampton footwear company Crockett & Jones comes in.

Craig’s iteration of Bond wore Crockett & Jones shoes in Skyfall, Spectre and his most recent outing, No Time to Die, and they were an essential part of his overall look. The costume designer for the last film, Suttirat Anne Larlarb, said, ‘Bond is known for his perfectly elegant comportment in all situations and in No Time To Die, Crockett & Jones’s shoes are very much a part of that equation.’

To mark this collaboration, the shoemaker paired with production company EON to create the limited-edition “James” Oxford, which featured embellishments such as a silver foiled 007 logo on the interior of each shoe. What’s more, they came with a shoe horn, shoe brush and pair of shoe trees, all also featuring the logo, cementing the unmistakable pairing of Bond and Crockett & Jones.

Now, as the James Bond franchise marks its 60th anniversary – Dr No, with Sean Connery as the first-ever portrayal of the elusive agent, was released in 1962 – Crockett & Jones has once again teamed up with EON Productions for a special edition, the “Hamilton” Chelsea boot, that will leap to the top of any Bond fan’s wish list. In a fitting nod to the film’s era, the shoemaker delved into its archives and unearthed its 1962 catalogue to discover the quintessential ’60s style.

As you might expect from a company founded in 1879 in England’s shoemaking capital, Northampton, Crockett & Jones has been making footwear – and Chelsea boots in particular – for a little longer than that. In a similar vein to how EON and James Bond remain the passion project of the Broccoli family, Crockett & Jones is still run by the descendants of its original 19th-century founders. The company respects the traditional skills, such as Goodyear welting, that are essential to the best quality footwear, and builds its shoes and boots around lasts that have passed the test of time – last 200, for example, dates back to 1934 and is still in use today.

The first illustrations of Chelsea boots in its records date as far back as 1925, but it was certainly the 1960s when the style became de rigueur, and the Hamilton comes directly from that time: it is produced on the brand’s 236 last, which was released in the early ’60s and features the traditional round toe shape. The Hamilton offers traditional, straight-cut elastics, a plain front whole vamp, oak bark leather sole, flexible shoulder insoles and a jockey-back strip in matching calf, and is available in two colourways: black calf and ivywood antique calf.

The ultimate pairing of silver screen finesse and traditional, exceptional craftsmanship, the Hamilton is a must-have for anyone who aspires to recreate James Bond’s cool, collected sartorial poise – even if you aren’t staring down the barrel of an enemy agent’s gun.

crockettandjones.com